Apologies At Dawn
by Great Northern
Summary: Firestar has some old daemons he has to get rid of with Cinderpelt. They say it's easier to apologize to someone when they're dead. ONESHOT. Fire/Cinder if you squint!


_**"An apology is a good way to have the last word."**_

_**Author Unknown**_

Firestar was still in shock. She was dead. One of his best friends was dead. She was gone forever. Never coming back. That truth hurt more then any blow from any enemy warrior could ever deliver.

All the other warriors had gone to their dens, wanting some sleep before daybreak when they would have to work on repairing what the badgers had left behind. Firestar couldn't sleep, he couldn't leave Cinderpelt out here by herself. He just couldn't.

Dawn was coming, the sun's rays was already peeping up from the horizion and Firestar knew that soon he would have to bury Cinderpelt, but there was something he had to do first.

He had to put his soul at rest with himself.

Firestar felt enormously stupid doing this, but he was doing it anyway. "Hey Cinderpelt, where ever you are. Probably in StarClan right now, but you may be here right now, watching me. I don't know, I haven't died yet. Well, actually I have, but still," Firestar let out a humourless chuckle. He sobered up and continued his monologue with a cat who was dead forever.

"I just wanted to tell you somethings, you know, clear the air between us. It may seem too late for that, but I just need to do this for me...for you." He sighed and bowed his head for a second, then continued on. "I first want to tell you, thanks. Thanks for all your great advice, all the times you sat there and listened to me ramble on and on about my problems and all the times you were my friend. I can't count the times you did all those things for me."

"So, um, where do I start after that?" Another humourless laugh. "Well, I just want to say...I'm sorry. No, I'm terribly, deeply sorry. More sorry then anyone has ever been. I'm sorry for your life. I know it's not my fault, but I feel it is somehow and I just want to apogolize. It was my fault you ran out there and got your leg injured. All my fault. I should have kept a better eye on you, but you were so excited, so full of energy back then, it was just really hard."

"I know you would say it wasn't my fault, but it was. I was your mentor and I was supposed to help you, not destroy your chances of becoming a warrior. That is the opposite of what a mentor is supposed to do. I guess I'm the worst mentor in the world. No, I know that's not true, I did pretty good with some other cats. I was just the worst mentor to you. I'm sorry that you got the short end of the deal."

"Also, I wanna say I'm sorry about how things turned out in the end. You died a brave death, but it was much too soon. You had so much to give, so much to do. You had a long time to live, I could see it in your eyes. You were young, full of hope. Now, that's all gone. Sorry Cinderpelt, that must be my fault too."

Firestar was running out of words to say now. "I'm pretty sure that's all I have to say. I know, short, but hey, I was never the big speech cat. I was always a short and simple kind of cat. You know that, don't you? Of course you do, we were best friends. You, me, and Graystripe. All mice in the fresh-kill pile."

"I guess this is goodbye, our final adventure. I'm going to miss you. I will always miss you, everyday. You were such a big part of my life, I just can't let you go, but I guess I have to, don't I? We all have our sorrow goodbyes, I guess this is mine."

Firestar pressed his nose against her cold fur. "Goodbye Cinderpelt. I miss you already."

He stayed in that position a long time, until he finally lifted his head and watched the sun rise while all the other cats walked out of their dens and gathered around their leader.

Firestar casted one last look at Cinderpelt's dead body and then went to barking out orders. He was a leader, leaders were always the ones to give the orders and keep the peace.

In the sky, the sun rose, bringing a new day for everyone, including Cinderkit.

**Author's Note- Bored at one a.m. This is what I write. :D. R&R.**

**Holly**


End file.
